Apparatus for drawing a fowl

Claim 2

Apparatus for drawing a fowl, comprising at least one movable supporting element, a hook in said supporting element for suspending a fowl by its ankle joints; a drawing member formed as a linearly reciprocable bar having a pivotable extension provided with a wedge shaped slot for catching the fowl''s gullet, and with a blunt outer end; means for inserting said drawing member in a fowl through an opening made between its breatbone and its tail until the free end of the drawing member abuts on the fowl''s ribs on both sides of its spine; means for keeping said extension aligned with said bar during the insertion of said drawing member; means for pivoting said extension towards the fowl''s spine when said drawing member reaches its lowermost position, in such manner that said blunt outer end of said extension is pressed against the fowl''s ribs; a pressure member; means for withdrawing said drawing member from the fowl along its ribs while pressing the fowl''s back against said pressure member and carrying along the fowl''s entrails connected to its gullet; means adapted to grip between the fowl''s legs and hold the same during the insertion and the withdrawal of said drawing member; and positioning means cooperating with said drawing member to bring the fowl''s breatbone into the desired position relative to said drawing member during the insertion of said drawing member, and including a flap pivotably connected to said holding means, a counterweight normally holding said flap spaced from and over the tip of the fowl''s breastbone, said flap being pressable down onto the said breastbone by said drawing member during its insertion against the action of said counterweight to bring the breastbone into the correct position, after which said flap serves to guide said drawing member into the fowl.

Claim 3

Apparatus for drawing a fowl, comprising at least one movable supporting element, a hook in said supporting element for suspending a fowl by its ankle joints; a drawing member formed as a linearly reciprocable bar having a pivotable extension provided with a wedge shaped slot for catching the fowl''s gullet, and with a blunt outer end; means for inserting said drawing member in a fowl through an opening made between its breatbone and its tail until the free end of the drawing member abuts on the fowl''s ribs on both sides of its spine; means for keeping said extension aligned with said bar during the insertion of said drawing member; means for pivoting said extension towards the fowl''s spine when said drawing member reaches its lowermost position, in such manner that said blunt outer end of said extension is pressed against the fowl''s ribs; a pressure member; means for withdrawing said drawing member from the fowl along its ribs while pressing the fowl''s back against said pressure member and carrying along the fowl''s entrails connected to its gullet; means adapted to grip between the fowl''s legs and hold the same during the insertion and the withdrawal of said drawing member; and positioning means cooperating with said drawing member to bring the fowl''s breatbone into the desired position relative to said drawing member during the insertion of said drawing member, and including a flap pivotably connected to said holding means, a counterweight normally holding said flap spaced from and over the tip of the fowl''s breastbone, said flap being pressable down onto the said breastbone by said drawing member during its insertion against the action of said counterweight to bring the breastbone into the correct position, after which said flap serves to guide said drawing member into the fowl.

Claim 4

Apparatus for drawing a fowl, comprising at least one movable supporting element, a hook in said supporting element for suspending a fowl by its ankle joints; a drawing member formed as a linearly reciprocable bar having a pivotable extension provided with a wedge shaped slot for catching the fowl''s gullet, and with a blunt outer end; means for inserting said drawing member in a fowl through an opening made between its breatbone and its tail until the free end of the drawing member abuts on the fowl''s ribs on both sides of its spine; means for keeping said extension aligned with said bar during the insertion of said drawing member; means for pivoting said extension towards the fowl''s spine when said drawing member reaches its lowermost position, in such manner that said blunt outer end of said extension is pressed against the fowl''s ribs; a pressure member; means for withdrawing said drawing member from the fowl along its ribs while pressing the fowl''s back against said pressure member and carrying along the fowl''s entrails connected to its gullet; means adapted to grip between the fowl''s legs and hold the same during the insertion and the withdrawal of said drawing member; and positioning means cooperating with said drawing member to bring the fowl''s breatbone into the desired position relative to said drawing member during the insertion of said drawing member, and including a flap pivotably connected to said holding means, a counterweight normally holding said flap spaced from and over the tip of the fowl''s breastbone, said flap being pressable down onto the said breastbone by said drawing member during its insertion against the action of said counterweight to bring the breastbone into the correct position, after which said flap serves to guide said drawing member into the fowl.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said flap has an opening adapted to receive the tip of the breastbone when said flap is pushed down by said drawing member, in such manner that the breastbone is brought into the right position relatively to said flap.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressure member is formed by a pivotable plate, which is brought into contact with the fowl during the insertion of said drawing member as soon as the fowl''s breastbone has been brought into the right position, said plate being curved in such manner that apart from the fowl''s back said plate also supports its shoulders.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said bar comprises two mutually parallel and spaced rods and a driving rod for displacing said extension, said driving rod being freely movable between said first-mentioned rods and the end of said bar pivotably connected to said extension being formed in such manner that said driving rod lies within the plane of said first-mentioned rods for at least the major part of its length in any position of said extension.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a further movable holding means is associated with said pressure member, said further means being adapted to grip the fowl under its wings during the withdrawal of said drawing member.

Claim 9

Apparatus for continuously drawing fowls, comprising a guide rail; a plurality of Supporting elements slidably mounted on said guide rail; a pulling cable connected to said supporting elements for sliding said elements along said guide rail; a hook in each of said elements for suspending a fowl by its ankle joints; a vertical central shaft; a driving wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft; and provided with a plurality of notches in its circumferential edge adapted to receive the said supporting elements in such manner that said driving wheel is rotated by said pulling cable; a frame rotatably mounted on said shaft and connected to said driving wheel; a plurality of pairs of guiding rods provided in said frame; a first mounting block slidably mounted on each of the said pairs of guiding rods; a drawing member connected to each of said first mounting blocks, said drawing member being formed as a linearly reciprocable bar having a pivotable extension provided with a wedge shaped slot for catching the fowl''s gullet, and with a blunt outer end; means for inserting said drawing member in a fowl through an opening made between its breastbone and its tail until the free end of the drawing member abuts on the fowl''s ribs on both sides of its spine; means for keeping said extension aligned with said bar during the insertion of said drawing member; means for pivoting said extension towards the fowl''s spine when said drawing member reaches its lowermost position, in such manner that said blunt outer end of said extension is pressed against the fowl''s ribs; a pressure member; means for withdrawing said drawing member from the fowl along its ribs while pressing the fowl''s back against said pressure member and carrying along the fowl''s entrails connected to its gullet; means cooperating with each of said drawing members and adapted to grip between the fowl''s legs and hold the same during the insertion and the withdrawal of said drawing member; and positioning means cooperating with each of said drawing members to bring the fowl''s breastbone into the desired position relative to said drawing member during the insertion of said drawing member.

Claim 10

Apparatus for continuously drawing fowls, comprising a guide rail; a plurality of Supporting elements slidably mounted on said guide rail; a pulling cable connected to said supporting elements for sliding said elements along said guide rail; a hook in each of said elements for suspending a fowl by its ankle joints; a vertical central shaft; a driving wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft; and provided with a plurality of notches in its circumferential edge adapted to receive the said supporting elements in such manner that said driving wheel is rotated by said pulling cable; a frame rotatably mounted on said shaft and connected to said driving wheel; a plurality of pairs of guiding rods provided in said frame; a first mounting block slidably mounted on each of the said pairs of guiding rods; a drawing member connected to each of said first mounting blocks, said drawing member being formed as a linearly reciprocable bar having a pivotable extension provided with a wedge shaped slot for catching the fowl''s gullet, and with a blunt outer end; means for inserting said drawing member in a fowl through an opening made between its breastbone and its tail until the free end of the drawing member abuts on the fowl''s ribs on both sides of its spine; means for keeping said extension aligned with said bar during the insertion of said drawing member; means for pivoting said extension towards the fowl''s spine when said drawing member reaches its lowermost position, in such manner that said blunt outer end of said extension is pressed against the fowl''s ribs; a pressure member; means for withdrawing said drawing member from the fowl along its ribs while pressing the fowl''s back against said pressure member and carrying along the fowl''s entrails connected to its gullet; means cooperating with each of said drawing members and adapted to grip between the fowl''s legs and hold the same during the insertion and the withdrawal of said drawing member; and positioning means cooperating with each of said drawing members to bring the fowl''s breastbone into the desired position relative to said drawing member during the insertion of said drawing member.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said blunt outer end of said extension is formed by two balls, attached on both sides of said wedge shaped slot.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said positioning means comprises a flap pivotably connected to said holding means, and a counter weight normally holding said flap spaced from and over the tip of the fowl''s breastbone, in such manner that said flap is pressed down on the breastbone by said drawing member during its insertion against the action of said counter weight to bring the breastbone into the right position, after which said drawing member is guided into the fowl by said flap.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said flap has an opening adapted to receive the tip of the breastbone when said flap is pushed down by said drawing member, in such manner that the breastbone is brought into the right position relatively to said flap.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said pressure member is formed by a pivotable plate, which is brought into contact with the fowl during the insertion of said drawing member as soon as the fowl''s breastbone has been brought into the right position, said plate being curved in such manner that apart from the fowl''s back said plate also supports its shoulders.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a second mounting block is slidably mounted on each of the said pairs of guiding rods; and each of said bars comprises two mutually parallel and spaced rods having their upper ends connected to said first mounting block and their lower ends pivotably connected to said extension; and a driving rod having its lower end pivotably connected to said extension and its upper end connected to said second mounting block; said driving rod being adapted to displace said extension and being freely movable between said rods and the end of said bar pivotably connected to said extension being formed in such manneR that said driving rod lies within the plane of said first-mentioned rods for at least the major part of its length in any position of said extension.

Claim 16

Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a cone shaped camming member is mounted on said central shaft, said camming member having a first and a second camming groove in its outer surface, and said first and second mounting blocks each carrying a follower received in said first and second camming grooves respectively, in such manner that during the rotation of said frame around said camming member said mounting blocks are moved up and down on said guiding rods.